Abstract: A mower conditioner includes a rotary style cutter bed and a pair of laterally extending crop conditioning rolls spaced rearwardly from the cutter bed. Crop flow is improved in the machine by a laterally extending conveying roller located between the cutter bed and the nip defined by the conditioning rolls. In particular, the conveying roller serves to lift cut crop up from the cutter bed and convey the crop rearwardly to the nip. This ensures that the cut crop moves in a steady stream from the cutter bed to the conditioning rolls, and thereby reduces the risk of cut crop being thrown forwardly by the cutters. A downwardly open area is preferably defined between the conveying roller and the cutter bed to provide a space through which dirt and debris can drop out of the machine. The conveying roller preferably has a rotational axis that is lower than the rotational axis of the lower conditioning roll and generally vertically aligned with the substantially planar cutting zone defined by the cutter bed.

Abstract: A sugar cane combine harvester having a topper/shredder in advance of a crop divider mechanism with the crop divider aiding in moving sugar cane to a knock down feed roll, base cutters, a feed roll system, a chopping system including a cleaning system, and an elevator system.

Abstract: A harvester which uses a rotary style cutter bed has a series of rotary cutters extending across the path of travel of the machine and rotatable about individual upright axes. Part of the cutter bed is a flat gear case containing a train of intermeshed spur gears that serve to distribute power between the cutters above the gear train. Each end of the gear case has a hollow, gearless extension welded thereto which supports at least one additional outboard cutter that receives its driving power exteriorally of the gear case. One embodiment uses a mechanical drive to bring power to the upright shaft of the cutter having the first spur gear so that the cutters with gears receive all their power from the driven cutter.

Abstract: A conventional header of a combine is modified by the addition of a second sickle knife positioned rearwardly of the pan of the header. The second sickle knife is mounted on a bar which is connected to a pair of arms extending under the pan to a forward end pivotally mounted just behind the conventional sickle knife of the header. The arms and the second sickle knife can thus pivot upwardly and downwardly and are mounted on suspension springs carried on the frame of the header. A simple drive from the conventional shaft of the header is connected through a belt to a drive wobble box carried on the second sickle knife at a position partway along its length.

Abstract: A crop harvester of the rotary cutter bed type has a series of rotary cutters extending across the path of travel of the machine and rotatable about individual upright axes. The cutter bed extends in opposite directions beyond the ends of a central discharge opening to the conditioner rolls. Cutters located outboard of the opening direct cut crop materials along the front of the cutter bed until the opposite extremities of the discharge openings are reached, whereupon pairs of cooperating, oppositely rotating cutters in front of the opening function to propel the crop material rearwardly with the main flow of cut materials. Alternative forms of conveying means are provided in association with the outboard cutters for moving the cut crop centrally without the use of augers or other additional gathering mechanism behind the row of cutters.

Abstract: A device and method for automated, mechanical harvesting of plants having differing heights and stem lengths, wherein a stem portion of the plant must be severed at a uniform, predetermined length from the top of the plant.

Abstract: There is provided an improved elevator control and slewing mechanism for a cane harvester including a bracket pivotally mounted to the harvester frame for rotation about a first vertical axis to which the elevator is mounted, a pair of slew control arms each of which includes two links which are pivotally joined to one another to form an elbow joint rotatable about a second vertical axis and means to pivotally couple one of the links of each pair to the harvester frame and the other one of each pair to the bracket and means for slewing the elevator about the first vertical axis.

Abstract: A shredder attachment for use with lawn machines having vacuum or fan movement of shreddable material. The attachment comprises a frame suitably sized and shaped to be substantially mounted inside a conduit of a lawn machine. The attachment further comprises a cutter for cutting material passing through the conduit and a motor for driving the cutter. The attachment can be used in such lawn machines as a discharge conduit for a riding mower bagging system, an auxiliary cutter for a walk behind mower or a hand-held leaf vacuum.

Abstract: A thrashing system for a vegetable harvester including a plurality of tines on an oscillating shaker head which engage vines and shake the fruit such as cucumbers, from the vines. The fruit is collected on a cross conveyor and the vines are pulled through at least one pair of pinch rolls for discharge on the ground. A full width blower directs high pressure air across the cross conveyor to lift and spread the vines allowing disconnected fruit to fall therethrough onto the cross conveyor.

Abstract: A mounting connection for a feed roller removably connected between oppositely located frame sections of a cane harvester. A splined adaptor plate is connected to an end of the feed roller about its longitudinal axis and within the transverse width between the frame sections. A motor having a shaft with a pinion mounted thereon is operable to engage with the splined adaptor plate. The motor is removably connected to the outside of one of the frame sections and the pinion is of a diameter sufficient to be withdrawn through the frame with the motor. After removing a similar connection on the opposite side of the feed roller, the feed roller is free of any connection to the frame and may be lowered within the frame sections and removed.

Abstract: A sugar cane harvester which includes a conveyor for conveying sugar cane billets and a rake assembly suspended above the billet conveyor and including a number of spaced apart prongs which engage billets on the conveyor to strip trash and leaves therefrom and level out the billets on the conveyor.

Abstract: Apparatus for cutting and chipping trees and brush includes a housing telescopically received at the end of a hollow rectangular boom or secured onto the existing boom of a vehicle and for contacting tree limbs or brush to be cut and chipped. The housing has a cutting member at the front portion extending outwardly for cutting trees or brush and feeds the cut material into a chipper. The rear of the housing forms a rectangular duct and a pair of alignment guides extend angularly outward from the front portion to receive the trunk of the tree being cut. A pair of cable guides extend between the top of the housing to the front of the alignment guides to divert power lines or cables and prevent them from being cut. The chipper reduces the cut material to chip size for passage through the duct. A blower moves chipped materials rearwardly through the duct portion. A nozzle on the underside of the housing discharges fluid onto the remaining cut materials to seal the cut portion.

Abstract: A sugar cane harvester is disclosed in which chopped crop is conveyed from a chopping mechanism to a cleaning mechanism. The cleaning mechanism includes an extractor fan positioned in an upper portion of a cleaning cylinder and a substantially unobstructed air intake surrounding the periphery of the cleaning cylinder. The air intake draws air in a generally downward direction through the air intake and into the cleaning cylinder, and upwardly through a substantial portion of the crop after the crop exits from the chopping mechanism. Debris is expelled upwardly through the extractor fan, while cleaned crop drops into an elevator for transportation away from the cleaning mechanism. A energy absorbing plate is mounted in the cleaning area to contact crop billets as the billets leave the chopping mechanism. The plate is adjustably mounted to contact greater or lesser amounts of the crop after the crop passes through the chopping means.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a sugar cane harvester having a pair of contra-rotating cutters to cut cane at its base and to lift the cane cut-ends first onto a conveyor which delivers the cane through de-trashing devices and then to a pair of rollers which draw the cane from the conveyor and propel it into the open end of a container against an adjustable barrier disposed along the container from said open end. The barrier is positioned to suit the length of the cane being harvested and cutters are provided to cut the cane tops from the stalks where they protrude at the open end of the conveyor to separate the tops from the stalks.

Abstract: The invention relates to a machine which is pulled or attached to a three-point attachment on a tractor and used for the harvesting of corn or similar stalk-like crops. The machine has a cutting device and a chopping blower arranged subsequent thereto with slide-in rollers to which the crop is supplied by a cross-conveyor running transversely to the direction of travel of the tractor. The cross-conveyor is designed as a cutting and supplying device, cutting the crop at any point in the working area, holding it above the cut area and supplying it in an approximately upright or inclined position, opposite to the conveying direction, to the slide-in rollers or a chopping machine with simultaneous release.

Abstract: In a sugar cane harvester having a defoliating device for scratching off the leaves of sugar canes, a plurality of separating means are disposed side by side with regular intervals such that leaves attached to sugar cane stalks are separated therefrom with the passage of sugar canes through the spaces between adjacent separating means.

Abstract: A cane harvester (10) having an endless conveyor (15) for elevating cane billets from a chopper (14) for deposit through a passage (44) onto a secondary elevator (16). A fan (17) directs a blast of air across the pasage (44) to force trash and leaves through an outlet chute (18). A rake assembly (25) is provided above the conveyor (15) to level and even the billets and trash thereon and an air jet arrangement (47, 48, 57, 58) is disposed at the upper end of the conveyor (15) to prevent build up of trash and assist the conveyance of trash and billets through the passage (44). A trash deflecting assembly (74) is provided in the outlet chute (18) so that the direction of trash exiting therefrom can be selectively varied.

Abstract: A sugar cane harvester is disclosed in which chopped crop is conveyed from a chopping mechanism to a cleaning mechanism. The cleaning mechanism includes an extractor fan positioned in an upper portion of a cleaning cylinder and a substantially unobstructed air intake surrounding the periphery of the cleaning cylinder. The air intake draws air in a generally downwardly direction through the air intake and into the cleaning cylinder, and upwardly through a substantial portion of the crop after the crop exits from the chopping mechanism. Debris is expelled upwardly through the extractor fan, while cleaned crop drops into an elevator for transportation away from the cleaning mechanism.

Abstract: A cane harvester for harvesting sugar cane. A cutter severs the cane and feed means feeds the cane along a longitudinal feed path to a chopping means which cuts the cane into billets. A discharge discharges the billets from the harvester. The chopping means comprises longitudinal, movable blades which rotate about an axis perpendicular to the feed path and which sweep out a cylindrical or frusto-conical path. A fixed blade cooperates with the movable blades which move upwardly past the fixed blade. A billet engaging means located between the axis and the movable blade engages and pretensions the cane prior to cutting. After cutting, the cane billets are thrown upwardly and away from the chopping means into the discharge chute.

Abstract: An attachment for a sugar cane harvester for gathering, severing and chopping or shredding the non-millable, immature top portions of a sugar cane stalk so that the remaining millable portion of the sugar cane stalk can be harvested by the sugar cane harvester in a conventional manner.

Abstract: A device to adjust the length of billets in a cane harvester. Hydraulic motors of different fluid throughput capacity drive chopper rolls which are mechanically connected. The outlet of one of the motors conveys fluid through a connection to the feed rolls which convey the cane to the chopper rolls. The outlet connection of a second of the hydraulic motors is interchangeable so that the fluid from either motor may pass to the feed rolls as desired.

Abstract: The cutting cylinder of a forage harvester is provided with a plurality of fragmenting bars interspersed between the circumferentially spaced apart knives of the cylinder. Each of the fragmenting bars has a generally radially outwardly projecting portion that terminates in an outermost, serrated margin located inwardly adjacent the extremity of the cylinder as defined by the cutting edges of the knives during rotation thereof. Such serrations of the bars present rasping teeth that abraid, fracture and fragment crop cuttings produced by the knives so as to provide more uniformly sized, finer crop fragments and cracked kernels for the production of high quality silage.

Abstract: A self-propelled sugar cane harvester has a plurality of cutting rollers cooperating with each other in pairs to cut cane sticks. The cutting rollers are rotatably supported in opposite walls of the harvester housing. Each roller has two opposite flanges at its ends, which are releasably connected to the flanges rotatably supported in the walls of the housing. Disassembling of each individual roller is achieved by merely releasing the flanges of the roller from the flanges supported in the housing walls, whereby the roller can be easily pulled out from the housing for repair or any other operation.

Abstract: A feeding device of a sugar cane harvester includes a pair of rotary cane dividers spaced from each other. The feeding device is provided with a mechanism for adjusting the distance between two spaced cane dividers. This mechanism is operated from an operator stand of the harvester and includes a hydraulic piston-cylinder unit, the piston of which is connected to one of the cane dividers and the cylinder of which is connected to the harvester frame.

Abstract: A cutting device of a sugar cane harvester, which includes a pair of rotary rollers each provided with elongated cutting straps having a number of blades and extended parallel to the axes of the respective rollers. Each roller is formed with an elongated supporting strip and a number of supporting projections spaced from the strip so as to form a plurality of grooves each receiving individual blades of the cutting strap and a clamping member. The blade and the clamping member are clamped between the side walls of the groove by a bolt extending through the clamping member into the body of the roller.

Abstract: A self-propelled sugar cane harvester has a picking and comminuting device, an inclined conveyor, a discharge conveyor transversely inclined conveyor, a pressure fan located in the region of an outlet end of the inclined conveyor to direct an air stream through a comminuted sugar cane stream, and an additional suction fan arranged to provide for a uniform air stream in the region of transition between the inclined conveyor and the discharge conveyor and in an inlet region of a discharge hood.

Abstract: A machine particularly adapted to form a sweeper for the forest residues left on the ground after the bigger trees have been cut and removed from a forest. This forest residues sweeper also features its adaptability to uneven ground and obstacles, its arrangement to successively rather than simultaneously cut branches or small tree trunks, and its discharging arrangement to load the chipped or sheared forest residues into a wagon for use elsewhere as wood chips. This forest residues sweeper comprises sweeper drums with catching fingers arranged to lift the forest residues off the ground and shear them against fixed abutments or cutters. A chipper behind the sweeper drums then reduces the sheared residues into chips and a blower and duct are arranged to load the chips into a wagon.

Abstract: Described herein is a vehicle-mounted tree harvesting machine. The tree harvesting machine includes a shear which cuts the trees and is arranged so that its cutting motion tends to direct the trees to fall by gravity into a bunching means in alignment with the shear. Once in the bunching means the cut trees are held there by a cantilevered bar. The harvesting vehicle then can move from cutting site to cutting site dragging the cut trees behind it. When the bunching means is full the cantilevered bar can be opened and the vehicle moved forward leaving the cut trees behind in a neat bunch.

Abstract: A stalk harvester comprises a mobile frame on which is mounted a deflector for engaging and bending upper portions of standing stalks forwardly. A cutter cuts the bent stalks at their base. A pair of generally rotary stalk feeding members are disposed behind the deflector and are mounted for rotation about generally upright axes. These rotary feeding members form a generally upright nip therebetween for gripping the lower stalk ends and feeding the stalks rearwardly. A drive mechanism rotates the feeding members to feed the lower stalk ends rearwardly while upper ends thereof are acted upon by the deflector to cause the stalks to travel upwardly within the nip as the stalks travel rearwardly, thereby causing the stalks to approach a horizontal orientation. A plurality of additional pairs of stalk feeding rotary members are inclined relative to vertical by progressively increasing amounts toward the rear so as to accelerate the reorientation of the stalks toward a horizontal inclination.

Abstract: A forestry site preparation system is provided for removing woody material, including trees, stumps and slash from forest terrain. The system includes clearing means having a means attached thereto for fragmenting the woody material and directing the particulate masses produced by this fragmentation toward the clearing means. An auxiliary fragmenting means closely associated with the fragmenting means is also provided. By setting the distance between the fragmenting and auxiliary fragmenting means, respectively, particulate masses of a maximum, predetermined size can be produced. A tree-felling assembly extending outwardly from the housing to which the fragmenting means is mounted is employed in felling the standing trees by exerting a positive force on the tree, thereby causing felling to occur in a direction away from the system. If desired, the particulate masses can be collected and transferred to a remote storage area.

Abstract: A machine for clearing and cleanly chipping trees and brushwood in the path of the machine as it moves forward. A pair of counterrotating disk cutters cut a kerf in the standing material and propel the cut material upwardly and rearwardly to the throat between a pair of feed rollers. The feed rollers deliver the cut material to a chipper, which reduces the material to chips and delivers them to a chip storage bin. The bin can be tilted to dump chips alongside the machine. The entire mechanism is carried by a self-propelled, articulated, track-supported vehicle which is especially well-suited for operation over soft, boggy ground.

Abstract: An improved direct-loading crop harvester for vine crops is disclosed as having a shaker head capable of being rotatively oscillated about its axis and having tines adapted to engage the vines of the crop to be harvested. A support conveyor is provided to support the vines while the tines of the shaker head shake the fruit therefrom. A collector conveyor is provided to collect the fruit as it falls from the vines and to transport the fruit for further processing.

Abstract: An agricultural machine for picking up and chopping crop, particularly green crop such as grass to be made into silage, and comprising a picking up device for collecting crop from ground over which the machine is travelling and at least one chamber to which the crop is delivered from said picking up device through a lateral opening and the chamber containing a reciprocable ram movable towards and away from stationary knives in an open end of the chamber, the ram preferably having knives on its face presented towards the stationary knives, the movement of the ram towards the stationary knives causing the knives to co-operate to chop up the crop, the cut crop being discharged from the open end of the chamber into a collector cage.

Abstract: A sugar cane harvester has a wheel-mounted or equivalent main frame, a base cutter for cutting the cane near ground level as the harvester advances, a chopping cutter for cutting the cane stalks into billets, means for feeding the stalks from the base cutter to the chopping cutter, and means for elevating and discharging the billets, the chopping cutter and elevating means including a rotary cutter with a knife blade on a rotatable shaft, and a thrower having a vane extending from a thrower shaft, the two shafts being parallel and counter-rotated, the cutter knife blade and the vane coacting to sever cane fed to the chopping cutter into billets, the thrower vane acting to throw the severed billets upwardly through a cane guide chute from which they are discharged, preferably into a bin mounted on the main frame and capable of being tilted to empty its contents.

Abstract: A grass forage harvester has mowing and/or gathering mechanism whereby cut grass is brought to cutter mechanism comprising a rotor with peripheral cutter blades and to impelling mechanism comprising fan or projector vanes. The said cutter blades are articulated on the rotor and cooperate with at least one counter-blade which is placed between the said cutter mechanism and the said impelling mechanism to retain the grass so that it is cut into small pieces before it passes to the impelling mechanism. There is an elevator funnel through which the small pieces are raised for delivery into a vehicle.

Abstract: The invention relates to a harvester of sugar cane or similar products which provides a significant reduction of moving parts and more efficient cleaning of the harvested product than was hitherto possible. This is accomplished by replacing the individual known components for cutting, elevating and cleaning of the cane by a single rotating mechanism provided with a single shaft of reversible rotation and which is fitted with displaceable knives and fixed throwing vanes or wings, which vanes are enclosed in a cylinder with a top outlet discharging the cane billets into a movable duct.

Abstract: A self-propelled forage harvester having a longitudinally extending mobile frame supported by a pair of forwardly disposed transversely spaced wheels is disclosed wherein a transfer chute having a pivotally mounted frame guides crop material from the cutterhead to the discharge blower. The cutterhead is mounted on the forward portion of the mobile frame and includes a housing having a rear crop outlet opening. A shear bar is mounted adjacent the path of a plurality of knives affixed to the rotatably mounted transversely disposed cylindrical cutterhead, the knives cooperating with the shear bar to cut crop material and throw it rearwardly through the crop outlet opening. A crop discharge blower unit having a housing with a crop inlet opening aligned with the crop outlet opening of the cutterhead housing is mounted on the frame behind the cutterhead.

Abstract: The invention provides a low profile, compact row crop attachment which eliminates the use of crop conveyors in the form of chains with crop-engaging extensions attached thereto, such conveyors being subject to fast wear and being relatively expensive to replace. The chain type conveyors are replaced by a plurality of rotary means which are staggered transversely of the attachment relative to each other and positioned along side and outside an associated stalkway defined by a pair of spaced apart members. Conveyor means extend from the rotary means from outside into the associated stalkway so as, in operation, to convey crop along that stalkway.

Abstract: A rotating cutterhead projects forward from a tractor or other suitable vehicle and fells trees as the tractor is moved over land to be cleared. The tree-felling cutterhead rotates in a direction such that its leading face moves upward and then rearward to kick the butt of a felled or falling tree upward and then move it rearward onto an apron. The apron forms the bottom of a flared throat leading to a chipping cutterhead. An overhead live feed roll or a swinging feed rake positively feeds each tree rearward along the apron to the chipping cutterhead. Upright cutterheads may be carried at the sides of the flared throat to delimb a tree, or at least to crush the limbs inward, as the tree is moved rearward by the upper feed roll or rake.

Abstract: Apparatus for attachment to and propulsion by a tractor or cross country vehicle for the purpose of cutting, chopping and removing vegetation, particularly dense vegetation and small trees. The apparatus includes a pair of forward horizontal rotary cutters which rotate in opposite directions to sever vegetation and propel it through a pair of opposed guide panels onto a lateral conveyer. A pair of vertical augers disposed on opposite sides of the conveyer rotate in opposite directions to compact vegetation, especially large brush and small trees previously cut by the horizontal rotary cutters, onto the conveyer. A pair of vertical rotary cutters are positioned above the conveyer rearward of the vertical augers. The vertical rotary cutters rotate in opposite directions to further cut large brush or small trees and force them downward onto the conveyer.

Abstract: An implement particularly for harvesting corn stalks including a pair of ight counter rotating conveying rollers which define therebetween a cutting station to which crop material is conveyed by stalk guides, with the conveying rollers having knives radially extending therefrom and blades located above the knives. A counter-knife cooperates with the knives to cut the crop material which is then engaged by the blades and propelled rearwardly to a plurality of feed rollers rotating about horizontal axes. The blades are formed with rearwardly curved leading edges and axially extending conveying members are provided on the conveying rollers above the blades. The blades and the knives are angularly arranged about the conveying rollers to be alternately passed through the cutting station during rotation of the conveying rollers.

Abstract: A harvester for sugar cane sticks or similar crops having a feed roller with feed elements extending lengthwise of the roller to successively engage the sticks on rotation of the roller, to feed the sticks in a direction at right angles to the axis of rotation of the roller. At least one of the feed elements being in the form of a resiliently deformable hollow structure of elastomeric material.

Abstract: In a sugar cane harvester of the type having a conveyor to carry the cane stalks, butt ends first, from a base cutter which severs the cane near ground level to a chopping cutter which cuts the stalks into billets, the conveyor consists of a series of transverse upper feed rollers and a series of oppositely rotated lower feed rollers, the cane being fed between the upper and lower feed rollers. Between succeeding lower feed rollers there are provided transverse cleaning rollers, driven in opposite direction to the lower feed rollers, and with radiating members which are adapted to catch and tear away leafy matter from the cane being conveyed.

Abstract: An apparatus employing a self propelling chassis for the harvesting of sugar cane employing copying wheels for following the microrelief of the ground responsive to movement in a harvesting section of the apparatus. A crosscutting assembly employing two differently dimensioned drums with off-set blades is used to cut the cane; and an associated pneumatically operated cleaning chamber employing dispersing drums, vanes, and shutters in conjuction with specifically placed blowers, act upon foreign matter during the harvesting operation and eject same to the outside of the chamber where it is deflected to a desired location.

Abstract: Sugar cane harvester has stick alignment device mounted at forward end of harvester crop feed passage to promote longitudinal alignment of canes with said passage. The device comprises an arm mounted centrally in the passage and carrying driven sprockets and a chain. Cane stick engaging bars project from the chain to comb cane sticks into alignment with the passage.

Abstract: A sugar cane harvester has power-rotated rollers to convey severed cane sticks between stick-serving base cutters and stick dividing choppers. The rollers extend across the path of the cane sticks and at least one of the rollers below the cane path has stick-engaging paddles of differing radial lengths whereby the cane sticks are shaken up and down to dislodge earth mixed with the mat of cane sticks.

Abstract: A machine for cutting and harvesting of crops having stalks which is pulled by a tractor in a direction of travel. The machine includes a guide casing which has vertical cylindrical wall means. A vertical drum with gripper teeth is rotatably mounted on the guide casing and pulls the stalks of the crops into a pulling passage defined by the cylindrical surface of the drum and the vertical cylindrical wall means. A feed trough merges with the vertical wall means which extend from a 3-o'clock to an 8-o'clock position of the drum. A chaff blower having a pair of feed rollers is mounted at the outlet of the feed trough. The stalks of the crop are seized by the gripper teeth of the drum and transported through the pulling in passage where they are cut by cutting means and then are transported to the feed trough while assuming an increasingly rearwardly inclined position with respect to the direction of travel.

Abstract: Sugar cane harvester has base twin contra-rotating cutters driven by flat profile gearboxes positioned above the base cutters within the throat of the harvester. The base cutters are positioned between the harvester's front wheels (as viewed in a horizontal direction at right angles to forward travel of the harvester) so that the cutting height is unaffected by pitching of the harvester when traversing uneven terrain.

Abstract: A forage harvester and attachment therefor are provided wherein such attachment serves the multiple purposes of cutting, conditioning, and selectively moving a crop in two basic directions from a crop transfer zone within the attachment, one of the directions being toward the ground and the other being away from the ground. The attachment comprises a flail device of predetermined width for cutting and conditioning a standing crop in one mode of operation and for picking up a pre-cut ground swath of a crop in another mode and moving that swath to the transfer zone. The attachment has an auger for gathering a crop into the transfer zone immediately after cutting to define a dense swath thereof which has a width less than that of the flail device and approximately equal to the width of the ground swath. The attachment has an additional auger and a door for selectively moving crop from the transfer zone in the above-mentioned two basic directions.

Abstract: A device and method for automated, mechanical harvesting of plants having differing heights and stem lengths, wherein a stem portion of the plant must be severed at a uniform, predetermined length from the top of the plant.